_{Caption: Sion Griffiths who works in Wylfa’s maintenance department and is currently volunteering for Caru Amlwch delivering food bank parcels and prescriptions.} 

Funding secured from Magnox Ltd will help support vulnerable groups in North Anglesey communities during the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.

Magnox announced details of a £300,000 Covid 19 Relief Fund, in partnership with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) last month. It offered 12 grants of £25,000 to local authorities or charities where a Magnox site is located across the UK.

With north Anglesey home to Wylfa Power Station, officers from the County Council’s Economic Development team successfully bid for one of £25,000 grants.

This important funding will be used in North Anglesey to:

• buy two 3D printers for Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones to make protective visors for key workers and volunteers
• fund food provisions for Amlwch Foodbank and the ‘Neges’ food distribution project, recently launched by Menter Môn and Dylan's restaurant
• buy materials for activity packs that will support mental well-being.

Council Leader and Talybolion county councillor, Llinos Medi, said, "We’re extremely grateful to Magnox and the NDA for this funding which will help support vulnerable residents and communities across north Anglesey during these unprecedented and difficult times.”

“The funding will, of course, be put to good use as we work with community partners and volunteers to ensure local communities are as resilient as possible in light of this terrible Coronavirus pandemic.”

She added, “Whilst this funding will help north Anglesey, the County Council will also make every effort to ensure there is similar provision in other parts of the Island, to ensure parity.” 

This funding will support existing community and voluntary groups in the area to enable them to continue with the work they are currently doing, whilst enhancing current provision where required.  The proposal meets the identified needs of North Anglesey, and provides added value to other activities in the area.

Gwen Parry-Jones, Magnox Chief Executive, said, “Many community groups are carrying out positive work, supporting the most vulnerable in their areas. This work is vital, and a key part of Magnox’s response to COVID-19 is to help other organisations deal with the pandemic wherever we can.”

“In this time of national crisis, Magnox has agreed with the NDA that we should make available up to £25,000 at each site from the Magnox Socio-economic Scheme for use by local community groups on COVID-19 related activities. Magnox is committed to assisting the communities surrounding our sites, as our communities have supported us for over 50 years, and we hope this funding will go some way to supporting the essential work being delivered.” 

Chair of Wylfa’s Site Stakeholder Group and Councillor for the Twrcelyn Ward, Aled Morris Jones, added: “What Magnox and the NDA have done to support communities, financially and through provision of equipment, is very generous. That staff have given of their time to volunteer to assist in their communities is inspirational. It shows the nuclear family coming together to support each other. We will beat this virus together and we will all meet again in happier times.”

North Anglesey is defined as the Twrcelyn ward, most of the Talybolion Ward and the community of Moelfre) - (as identified in the North Anglesey Economic Regeneration plan adopted September 2019).

Ends 5.5.20